VANCOUVER – For the second straight game, the UBC Thunderbirds earned a 5-2 win over the visiting MacEwan Griffins, completing the weekend sweep and extending their season long win streak to six games Saturday afternoon at Father Bauer Arena.
After the T-Birds opened up a two goal lead through 20 minutes, the Griffins (2-2) battled back to get within one but never got any closer as No. 4 UBC (6-0) scored three consecutive times in the second and third periods, including a critical short hander by Austin Glover, while Rylan Toth earned his fifth win in net with 17 saves.
"It's been a real commitment to playing a complete game in all aspects, starting with your D zone and then getting rewarded in the offensive zone," said UBC Head Coach Sven Butenschon. "I just love how we didn't take anything for granted. We respected our opponents all the way through, we didn't get soft, we just kept playing the right way."
The short-staffed Griffins once again refused to quit and played a gritty game with an aggressive forecheck right until the final buzzer. But they just couldn't match UBC's depth and timely scoring touch.
Down by two entering the second, MacEwan started the middle frame exactly how they wanted as Riley Brandt's team-leading fourth of the season cut UBC's lead to one just 52 seconds in. The veteran forward just snuck the puck five-hole past Toth on a play that was initially waived off by the closer referee but upon further discussion was announced as a good goal, giving the visitors some much needed life.
But on what turned out to be the game winner at 15:45 of the second, T-Birds captain Tyler Sandhu made a deft deflection in the slot off a Jonathan Smart shot to tip in his third of the season, restoring the two-goal advantage.
Glover added to the lead five minutes into the third, burying his first of the year on a shorthanded breakaway. Matt Leduc made a terrific diving defensive play to break up a cross-seam pass attempt by the Griffins with Glover picking up the deflected puck and rushing all the way down the ice, shooting it five-hole past Griffins netminder Ty Taylor.
Four minutes later, Jack Wismer tipped a Matthew Smith point shot for his first as a Thunderbird, giving the rookie forward two points on the afternoon after assisting on Chris Douglas' opening goal in the first period.
"It's been a great weekend for guys who have been working so hard and were a bit snake-bitten," added Butenschon. "They got themselves off the schneid and you could tell the kind of group we have when you feel that love on the bench when the guys score."
Following Wismer's third period goal which gave UBC a four-tally cushion, the Griffins managed to once again connect on the power play at the 13:09 mark of the third when Cameron Reagan one-timed the puck for his first of the campaign. The goal came on a major penalty assessed to Rask for a check to the head, but UBC was able to successfully kill off the remainder to finish the game 5-for-6.
After Douglas scored the ice-breaker for the second straight game, Tian Rask picked up his fourth of the season and third in the last four games with three minutes remaining in the first. Jarret Tyszka forced a turnover along the boards in the UBC zone and fed the puck to Rask who went up ice on a 2-on-2 rush with Matt Revel. The rookie winger held the puck and sniped it past Taylor's glove.
Not only did the Thunderbirds extend their season-long win streak to six games, they have scored at least four goals in each of them.
Despite the hot streak they find themselves on, the 'Birds will also welcome a two-week break from Canada West action.
"The guys have been through a lot, that road trip to Manitoba was real tough physically. Then guys have to go write a midterm right away, it's unbelievable, the character it takes to play at this level and still to take care of the job and focus on the game plan and pay attention in video and meetings and then turn it off and go write an exam, I mean come on."
UBC is back in action Friday, November 19th when they return to Edmonton to face the Golden Bears for the first time since defeating Alberta in the 2020 Canada West semifinals.
The Griffins are also off next week on the conference wide bye before taking on the Mount Royal Cougars in Calgary on November 12th.
